Baby girls make their way directly for dolls as soon as they can crawl, while boys will head for cars, a study has shown. The findings, the first to show differences in very young babies, suggest there is a biological basis to their preferences.
Psychologists Dr Brenda Todd from City University London carried out an experiment involving 90 babies aged 9 months to 36 months. The babies were allowed to choose from seven toys. Some were typically boys’ toys ---- a car, a digger, a ball and a blue teddy. The rest were girls’ toys: a pink teddy, a doll and a cooking set. They were placed a meter away from the toys；and could pick whichever toy they liked their choice and the amount of time they spent playing with each toy were recorded.
Of the youngest children (9 to 14 months), girls spent significantly longer playing with the doll than boys, and boys spent much more time with the car and ball than the girls did. Among the two and three-year-olds, girls spent 50 percent of the time playing with the doll while only two boys briefly touched it. The boys spent almost 90 percent of their time playing with cars, which the girls barely touched. There was no link between the parents’ view on which toys were more appropriate for boys or girls, and the children’s choice.
Dr Brenda Todd said, “Children of this age are already exposed to much socialization. Boys may be given ‘toys that go’ while girls get toys they can care for, which may help shape their preference. But these findings agree with the former idea that children show natural interests in particular kinds of toys. There could be a biological basis for their choices. Males through evolution have been adapted to prefer: moving objects, probably through hunting instincts（本能）, while girls prefer warmer colors such as pink, the colour of a newborn baby.”                                
小題1:Baby boys and girls have different toy preferences probably because ________.
A．baby boys are much more active
B．baby girls like bright colours more
C．their parents treat them differently
D．there is a natural difference between them
小題2:Both baby boys and baby girls like to play with ________ according to the study.
A．a(chǎn) ballB．a(chǎn) teddyC．a(chǎn) carD．a(chǎn) doll
小題3:What can we infer from Paragraph 3?
A．Nine-month-old baby boys don’t play with dolls at all.
B．Two-year-old baby girls sometimes play with cars and balls.
C．The older the babies are, the more obvious their preference is.
D．Parents should teach their babies to share each other’s toys.
小題4:What conclusion did Dr. Brenda Todd draw from the results of the study?
A．Adults purposely influence their babies’ preference.
B．Babies’ preference isn’t affected by social surroundings.
C．Baby boys preferring to moving toys will be good at hunting.
D．Baby girls preferring warmer colors will be warm-hearted.

小題1:D
小題2:B
小題3:C
小題4:B
文章講述的男孩和女孩對玩具的偏愛是天生的，與生俱來的，與社會環(huán)境是沒有關(guān)系的。
小題1:推理判斷題，根據(jù)文章第一段可知，他們天生就有某些偏好。
小題2:推理判斷題，根據(jù)第二段The babies were allowed to choose from seven toys. Some were typically boys’ toys ---- a car, a digger, a ball and a blue teddy. The rest were girls’ toys: a pink teddy, a doll and a cooking set可知，男孩和女孩都選擇了teddy熊。
小題3:推理判斷題，根據(jù)內(nèi)容可知，他們對玩具的偏愛越發(fā)明顯了。
小題4:推理判斷題，根據(jù)最后一段But these findings agree with the former idea that children show natural interests in particular kinds of toys. There could be a biological basis for their choices可知，他得出的結(jié)論是，他們不受社會環(huán)境的影響。
練習冊系列答案
相關(guān)習題

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空


Seven loyal readers came to the Teens’ office two weeks ago. They had a wonderful day learning how to make a newspaper. But what   36  made them excited was that they had their say（發(fā)表意見）.
“What most impressed me was   37  I was saying something, I found all eyes were   38  me,” said Tang Shining, one of the students. Her friend, Li Chunbei agreed, and felt very glad that when she was talking, the editors nodded and even   39 notes.
Students were happy to see the editors listen to their   40 . You may often   41  about being neglected (忽略) by teachers and parents.   42  before complaining, please   43  that you have already spoken about your thoughts.
It’s common in China that teachers at school and parents were   44  the ones to tell teenagers what they should and shouldn’t do. The young are   45  to doing what they are told, rather than thinking by themselves. But then their ideas would be locked in their brains and not be    46 .
A girl wrote to Teens about her family   47 . She used to be very sad because her father seldom talked and played with her. After years of consideration, she   48  decided to write her father a letter, telling him about her sadness. To her   49 , the father   50 , saying that he didn’t realize his mistakes. From then on, he really  51 .
Sometimes, we need to let our   52  be heard, so others can understand our thoughts and feelings. Don’t be afraid of being   53  for what you have done. You know it is your   54  to speak your mind.   55   your ideas are denied (否定), at least you have tried your best. You will not be left with any regret.
小題1:
A．directlyB．really C．completelyD．immediately
小題2:
A．whenB．howC．whereD．what
小題3:
A．a(chǎn)tB．forC．inD．on
小題4:
A．readB．sawC．tookD．copied
小題5:
A．speechesB．opinionsC．songsD．a(chǎn)rticles
小題6:
A．complainB．talkC．writeD．speak
小題7:
A．And B．So C．Instead D．But
小題8:
A．make goodB．make ofC．make sureD．make up
小題9:
A．seldomB．never C．hardlyD．a(chǎn)lways
小題10:
A．reducedB．usedC．a(chǎn)dvised D．told
小題11:
A．remembered B．usedC．heardD．touched
小題12:
A．historyB．storyC．eventD．report
小題13:
A．sadlyB．suddenlyC．finally D．a(chǎn)ngrily
小題14:
A．sorrowB．disappointmentC．joy. D．surprise
小題15:
A．smiled.B．a(chǎn)pologizedC．laughed D．shouted
小題16:
A．changedB．exchangedC．talkedD．played
小題17:
A．decisionsB．voices C．suggestions D．secrets
小題18:
A．blamed(責備)B．punishedC．beatenD．fined（罰款）
小題19:
A．dutyB．task（任務）C．pleasureD．right （權(quán)利）
小題20:
A．BecauseB．Even if C．Instead D．Not until

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

“If you talk to the plants, they will grow faster and the effect is even better if you’re a woman.” Researchers at Royal Horticultural Society carried out an experient to find that the voice of a woman gardener makes plants grow faster.
The experiment lasted a month and by the end of the study scientists managed to discover that tomato plants grew up two inches taller when women gardeners talked to them instead of male.
Sarah Darwin was the one making the plants registered the best growth. Her voice was the most “inspiring” for plants than those of nine other gardeners when reading a passage from The Origin of Species. The great-great-granddaughter of the famous botanist(植物學家) Charles Darwin found that her plant grew about two inches taller than the plant of the best male gardener.
Colin Crosbie, Garden Superintendent at RHS, said that the finding cannot yet be explained. He assumes that women have a greater range of pitch（音高） and tone（音調(diào)） which might have a certain effect on the sound waves that reach the plant. “Sound waves are an environmental effect just like rain or light ,”said Mr Grosbie.
The study began in April at RHS Garden Wisley in Survey. Scientists started with open auditions(聽力) for the people who were asked to record passages from John Wyndham's The Day of the Triffids, Shakespeare’s A Midsummer's Night Dream and Darwin's The Origin of Species.
Afterwards researchers selected a number of different voices and played them to 10 tomato plants during a period of a month. Each plant had headphones（耳機） connected to it. Through the headphones the sound waves could hit the plants. It was discovered that plants that “l(fā)istened” to female voices on average grew taller by an inch in comparison to plants that heard male voices.
Miss Darwin said, “I think it is an honor to have a voice that can make tomatoes grow, and especially fitting because for a number of years I have been studying wild tomatoes from the Galapagos Island at the Natural History Museum in London.”
小題1:What does the passage talk about?
A．Plants enjoy men’s voices than women’s.
B．A botanical experiment in a museum.
C．Voice’s influence on plant growing.
D．Strange phenomenon（現(xiàn)象） at Royal Horticultural Society.
小題2:What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 4 mean?
A．Plants need sound as well as rain and light.
B．Sound is basic for the plant to grow.
C．Sound has a good effect as rain or light does.
D．Plants can’t live without sound, rain or light.
小題3:Sarah Darwin is most likely a (an)_____.
A．botanistB．gardenerC．a(chǎn)stronomerD．environmentalist
小題4:What can we learn from the passage?
A．The experiment ended in May.
B．Scientist can explain the findings clearly.
C．Plants enjoy listening to the passages from masterpieces.
D．The findings are of great importance to human beings.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Smart phones that react to your moods and televisions that can tell it’s you who’s watching are in your future as Intel Corporation’s top technology expert sets his sights on context-aware computing.
Chief technology officer Justin Rattner showed how personal devices will one day offer advice. “How can we change the relationship so we think of these devices not as devices but as assistants or even companions?” he asked.
Handheld devices could combine already common geographic location technology with data from microphones, cameras, heart and body monitors and even brain scans to offer their owners advice that today only a friend or relative could give.
“Imagine a device that uses a variety of sensors to determine what you are doing at an instant, from being asleep in your bed to being out for a run with a friend, ” Rattner said, “Future devices will constantly learn about who you are, how you live, work and play.’’
Rattner also demonstrated a television remote control that figures out who is holding it based on how it is held, and then learns the viewer’s entertainment preferences.
As the world leader for decades in microchips for servers and desktop computers, Intel is hurrying to catch up in the profitable market for smart phones like Apple’s iPhone and Research in Motion’s Blackberry.
Telephones with e-mail, global positioning and media players are pointing the way to a future where ever more functions are packed into ever smaller mobile devices.
The smart phone industry, including technology giants like LG and Samsung, is likely to sell 270 million phones this year and grow 25 percent in 2011, according to market research company IDC.
“I think you can expect to see features that support context-aware computing starting to appear in Intel products in the near future,” Rattner said.
But analysts say Intel faces an uphill battle getting its microchips into new phones as Nvidia, Marvell and Qualcomm have already made headway with cheap, lower-power processors based on designs by ARM Holdings.
Rattner recognized that questions about privacy and people’s willingness to be intimate with their computers will have to be settled before the future generation of smart phones he described takes off.
“If you think identity threat is a problem today, imagine when your whole context is readily available on the Net.”, he said.
小題1:The future smart phones can do all of the following except _______.
A．giving responses to the moods of the owners
B．giving proposals like assistants or companions
C．offering advice to their owners’ friends or relatives
D．telling the phone holders or carriers where they are
小題2:Which of the following are smart phones according to the passage?
A．iPhone and BlackberryB．LG and Samsung
C．Marvell and QualcommD．Nvidia and ARM Holdings
小題3:From the passage we can infer that _______.
A．Intel Corporation has become the world leader in the smar tphone market
B．Intel Corporation has fallen behind in the profitable market for smart phones
C．more functions packed into mobile phones will make mobile devices larger
D．the smart phone industry is likely to grow 25 percent in the year of 2011
小題4:The best title for the passage is likely to be _______.
A．Smart phones and TelevisionsB．Context-aware Computing
C．Personalized TelevisionsD．Personalized Smart phones

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Why texting harms your IQ
The regular use of text messages and e-mails can lower the IQ more than twice as much as smoking marijuana (大麻). That is the statement of researchers who have found that tapping away on a mobile phone or computer keypad or checking for electronic messages temporarily knocks up to 10 points off the user’s IQ. This rate of decline in intelligence compares unfavorably with the four-point drop in IQ associated with smoking marijuana, according to British researchers, who have described the phenomenon of improved stupidity as “infomania”. The research conducted by Hewlett Packard, the technology company, has concluded that it is mainly a problem for adult workers, especially men.
It is concluded that too much use of modern technology can damage a person’s mind. It can cause a constant distraction of “always on” technology when employees should be concentrating on what they are paid to do. Infomania means that they lose concentration as their minds remain fixed in an almost permanent state of readiness to react to technology instead of focusing on the task in hand. The report also added that, in a long term, the brain will be considerably shaped by what we do to it and by the experience of daily life. At a microcellular level, the complex networks of nerve cells that make up parts of the brain actually change in response to certain experiences.
Too much use of modern technology can be damaging not only to a person’s mind, but to their social relationship. 1100 adults were interviewed during the research. More than 62 per cent of them admitted that they were addicted to checking their e-mails and text messages so often that they scrutinized work-related ones even when at home or on holiday. Half said that they always responded immediately to an email and will even interrupt a meeting to do so. It is concluded that infomania is increasing stress and anxiety and affecting one’s characteristics. Nine out of ten thought that colleagues who answered e-mails or messages during a face-to-face meeting were extremely rude.
The effects on IQ were studied by Dr Glenn Wilson, a psychologist at University of London. “This is a very real and widespread phenomenon,” he said. “We have found that infomania will damage a worker’s performance by reducing their mental sharpness and changing their social life. Companies should encourage a more balanced and appropriate way of working.”
小題1:We can learn from the passage that “infomania” ______.
A．has a positive influence on one’s IQ
B．results in the change of part of the brain
C．lies in the problem of lack of concentration
D．is caused by too much use of modern technology
小題2:The research mentioned in the passage is most probably about ______.
A．the important function of advanced technology
B．the damage to one’s brain done by unhealthy habits
C．the relevance between IQ and use of modern technology
D．the relationship between intelligence and working effectiveness
小題3:The underlined word “scrutinized” probably means “______”.
A．examined carefullyB．copied patiently
C．corrected quicklyD．a(chǎn)dmitted freely
小題4:Which of the following shows the structure of the passage?
A．
B．
C．
D．
CP: Central Point   P: Point   Sp: Sub-point (次要點)   C: Conclusion

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Memory is the ability to keep track of things that have happened in the past. Memory really is learning. One needs memory to ride a bicycle. A dog needs to remember if it is to come when called.
Memory is said to be stored in the brain as a “memory trace（記憶痕）.” What makes up this trace is not known. Some scientists believe that certain chemical substances may carry certain memories. For example, one substance, when given to rats, causes them to fear the dark.
Other research into memory has to do with how the brain works. Psychologists use three means to find out how a person remembers. For example, give a person a grocery list. Let the person memorize the list, then put it away. The most natural way to find out how much a person remembers of the grocery list is to ask what he or she remembers. This is called the method of recall. Another method is called recognition. Give the person another grocery list. Ask him or her to choose items on the first list from the items that are on only the second list. Often a person will be able to recognize things that he or she cannot recall. A third method of finding how much a person remembers is called relearning. Here the person is asked to read over the first list. The person will probably learn the list the second time faster than he did the first time. The difference in the time it takes to relearn the list is thought of as a measure of how much a person has remembered.
One way of remembering something is to repeat it many times. Interest is very important. Boring lists of facts are much more difficult to remember than something that we understand and are interested in. Motivation, or wanting to do something, is also important. Motivation is linked with reward. For example, a hungry animal quickly learns how to do something if that action gets the animal food. In humans, wanting to learn is often motivation. The praise of a teacher or the knowledge that an answer is correct is rewarding.
小題1:We can learn from the 2nd paragraph that ___________       .
A．bad memories may cause rats to fear the dark
B．it is hard to tell what a memory trace consists of
C．chemical substances carry certain memories
D．memory is stored in the brain as a substance
小題2:The way to pick out the items on the first list from the second is known as ________ .
A．recognitionB．recallC．memorizationD．relearning
小題3:What is considered as a measure of how much one has remembered?
A．The length of the list.
B．The type of list items.
C．The time difference of relearning.
D．The time difference of brain working.
小題4:A good way to train an animal to do something quickly is to ________.
A．make the action easyB．praise it in words
C．reward it with foodD．weaken its motivation

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

How to Beat On-line Credit-card Thieves
The Internet has led to a huge increase in credit-card fraud. Your card information could even be for sale in an illegal web site.
Web sites offering cheap services should be regarded with care. On-line shoppers who enter their credit-card information may never receive the goods they thought they bought.
The thieves then go shopping with your card number--- or sell the information over internet.
Computers hackers（黑客） have broken down security（安全） systems raising questions about the safety of cardholder information. Several months ago, 25,000 customers of CD Universe, and on-line music retailer（批發(fā)商）, were not lucky. Their name, addresses and credit-card numbers were posted on a web site after the retailer refused to pay US $157,828 to get back the information.
Credit-card firms are now fighting against on-line fraud. Master-card is working on plans for Web-only credit card, with a lower credit limit. The card could be used only for shopping on-line. However, there are a few simple steps you can take to keep from being cheated.
Ask about your credit-firm’s on-line rules. Under British law, cardholders are responsible for the first US $78 of any fraudulent spending.
And shop only at secure sites: Send your credit-card information only if the web site offers advanced secure system. If the security is in place, a letter will appear in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen. The web site address may also start the extra “s” stands for secure.
If you still have any doubt, give your credit-card information over the telephone.
Keep your password safe: Most on-line sites require a user name and password before placing an order. Treat your password with care.
小題1:What do most people worry about the Internet according to this passage?
A．fraud on the InternetB．computer hackers
C．illegal web siteD．shopping on line
小題2:How many pieces of advice does the passage give to you?
A．1B．2C．3D．4
小題3:You are shopping on the web and you want to buy a TV set, what does this article suggest doing?
A．You can go to the website and buy it without doubt.
B．Send your credit card information as soon as the web asks you to do so.
C．Give your credit card information over telephone if you have doubt.
D．Don’t pay money until your TV set is sent to you.
小題4:Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A．Computer hackers sold the retailer’s information to a web site to get money.
B．A reliable website offers you an advanced secure system.
C．You can depend on the password to protect your information.
D．The on-line credit-card thieves stole your credit-card and paid with it.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

How is it that siblings (兄弟姐妹) can turn out so differently? One answer is that in fact each sibling grows up in a different family. The firstborn is, for a while, an only child, and therefore has a completely different experience of the parents than those born later. The next child is, for a while, the youngest, until the situation is changed by a new arrival. The mother and father themselves are changing and growing up too. One sibling might live in a stable and close family in the first few years; another might be raised in a family crisis, with a disappointed mother or an angry father.
Sibling competition was identified as an important shaping force as early as in 1918. But more recently, researchers have found many ways in which brothers and sisters are a lasting force in each others’ lives. Dr. Annette Henderson says firstborn children pick up vocabulary more quickly than their siblings. The reason for this might be that the later children aren’t getting the same one-on-one time with parents. But that doesn’t mean that the younger children have problems with language development. Later-borns don’t enjoy that much talking time with parents, but instead they harvest lessons from bigger brothers and sisters, learning entire phrases and getting an understanding of social concepts such as the difference between “I” and “me”. 
A Cambridge University study of 140 children found that siblings created a rich world of play that helped them grow socially. Love-hate relationships were common among the children. Even those siblings who fought the most had just as much positive communication as the other sibling pairs.
One way children seek more attention from parents is by making themselves different from their siblings, particularly if they are close in age. Researchers have found that the first two children in a family are typically more different from each other than the second and third. Girls with brothers show their differences to a maximum degree by being more feminine than girls with sisters. A 2003 research paper studied adolescents from 185 families over two years, finding that those who changed to make themselves different from their siblings were successful in increasing the amount of warmth they gained from their parents.
小題1:The underlined part “in a different family” (in Para. 1) means “_______”.
A．in a different family environment
B．in a different family tradition
C．in different family crises
D．in different families
小題2:In terms of language development, later-borns ________.
A．get their parents’ individual guidance
B．learn a lot from their elder siblings
C．experience a lot of difficulties
D．pick up words more quickly
小題3:What was found about fights among siblings?
A．Siblings hated fighting and loved playing.
B．Siblings in some families fought frequently.
C．Sibling fights led to bad sibling relationships.
D．Siblings learned to get on together from fights.
小題4:The word “feminine” (in Para. 4) means “_______”.
A．having qualities of parents
B．having qualities of women
C．having defensive qualities
D．having extraordinary qualities

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


What is your favorite color? Do you like yellow, orange, and red? If you do, you must be an optimist(樂觀者), a leader, an active person who enjoys life, people and excitement. Do you prefer grays and blues? Then you are probably quiet, shy and you would rather follow than lead. If you love green, you are strong-minded and determined. You wish to succeed and want other people to see you are successful. At least this is what psychologists tell us, and they should know, because they have been seriously studying the meaning of color preference(愛好), and the effect that colors have on human beings. They tell us that we don't choose our favorite color as we grow up. If you happen to love brown, you did so as soon as you opened your eyes, or at least as soon as you could see clearly.
A yellow room makes us feel more cheerful and more comfortable than a dark green one, and a red dress rings warmth and cheer to the saddest winter day. On the other hand, black is depressing(壓抑). Light and bright colors make people not only happier but more active. It is a fact that factory workers work better, harder, and have fewer accidents when their machines are painted orange rather than black or dark gray.
Remember, then, that if you feel low, you can always brighten your day or your life with a new shirt or a few colorful things. Remember also that you will know your friends and your enemies better when you find out what colors they like and dislike. And don't forget that anyone can guess a lot about your character when you choose a piece of handkerchief.
小題1:According to this passage,           .
A．one can choose his color preference　　
B．one is born with his color preference
C．one’s color preference is changeable
D．one has to choose his favorite color as soon as he can see clearly
小題2:The main idea of this passage is           .
A．one's color preference shows one's character
B．you can brighten your life with wonderful colors
C．psychologists have been studying the meaning of color preference
D．one's color preference has something to do with his character and colors have effects on human beings
小題3:The writer believes that in realizing the four modernizations of country, we need more people who love          .
A．yellowB．redC．greenD．black

查看答案和解析>>

同步練習冊答案